My Town

Paly claims fourth De Anza title in a row

By Vytas Mazeika

Daily News Staff Writer

Posted:
11/10/2012 12:36:35 AM PST

Updated:
11/10/2012 12:36:36 AM PST

SANTA CLARA -- The senior class at Palo Alto will never know the feeling of looking up in the standings at the conclusion of the regular season to another team in the Santa Clara Valley Athletic League De Anza Division.

Not after the Vikings clinched their fourth De Anza title in a row with a 56-21 victory at Santa Clara on Friday night.

"These guys knew it was for a league title," Paly coach Earl Hansen said. "We're used to getting them and I would like to keep it that way."

"That's definitely a goal we set out at the start of the season," said Paly quarterback Keller Chryst, who threw four touchdowns and added a 2-yard QB sneak. "And I hope we can continue it. Let's go a little farther."

Paly (8-2, 6-1 De Anza) next plays in the first round of the Central Coast Section Open Division, with the matchups announced Sunday.

Opponents in the playoffs will have their hands full with Paly senior Jayshawn Gates-Mouton, who not only caught two long touchdowns, but also had two interceptions and sprung a 40-yard reverse for good measure. His 55-yard touchdown catch came on a fly pattern down the sideline with 8:05 left in the second quarter that put Paly ahead 28-0.

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Santa Clara (5-5, 2-5), which finished on a five-game losing streak, cut the deficit in half before Gates-Mouton nearly put the game away single-handedly in the second half. First came the short hitch route that turned into a 69-yard touchdown after Gates-Mouton faked a move to the inside, then cut to the sideline and ran past the secondary to make it 35-14 with 4:59 left in the third quarter.

"I just caught it and I was like, 'It's too cold out here, we have to go home,'" Gates-Mouton said. "So I just saw a hole and took it up the field."

"I just throw a 6-yard route and they go 80 yards for a touchdown, juking and jiving all over the place," Chryst said. "It's nice."

The Bruins tried to answer, but Gates-Mouton came down with his second interception at the Paly 9-yard line on the next drive. It took Paly three plays to go 91 yards, with Gates-Mouton setting up the touchdown with his reverse.

"We give him breaks as much as we can," Hansen said.

Twin brother Justin Gates-Mouton did the rest with a 30-yard scamper that extended the lead to 42-14.

Seven different Vikings found the end zone, starting with running back Mike Tolbert's 24-yard TD on a screen pass. Paly wide receiver Malcolm Davis had a fumble recovery and a sack before catching a 9-yard laser from Chryst on a fourth-and-goal play. And the defense -- which forced five turnovers -- got involved when defensive end Larry Allen picked up a fumble and ran it back 29 yards to make it 21-0 with 9:44 left in the first half.

Chryst finished 12 of 20 for 295 passing yards, with Jayshawn Gates-Mouton catching four balls for 144 yards. Backup running back Romaine Ward put an exclamation point to another De Anza trophy with a 40-yard touchdown run as the Vikings were running out the clock.